Cornyn: Passing Fix NICS Could Save Lives

‘Every day we let the current dysfunction in the background check system continue, lives are in jeopardy.’

‘It is a balanced and bipartisan piece of legislation that has one objective and one objective only – to make sure that federal and state agencies are complying with the current law and uploading complete and accurate records to the NICS system.’

‘The Fix NICS Act is supported by a number of groups across the political spectrum, from Second Amendment groups like the NRA and National Shooting Sports Foundation, law enforcement groups like the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Sheriffs Association, and domestic violence groups like the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.’

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today discussed his legislation, the Fix NICS Act, which would strengthen the existing National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by ensuring critical conviction records are properly uploaded following the shooting in Sutherland Springs, TX. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s opening remarks are below.

“I think it’s pretty clear, particularly when it comes to fixing our broken background check system, what that something is. And if we do that something, it will save lives. And every day we let the current dysfunction in the background check system continue, lives are in jeopardy.”

“We learned that the shooter had a significant criminal history of domestic violence and mental illness that should have prevented him from purchasing firearms.”

“Because the information had not been uploaded by the Air Force into the NICS background system, it simply wasn’t available to prevent him from purchasing these guns.”

“It is simply unacceptable when you look across the United States Department of Defense, and the failure to upload this essential information, this required information, in the background check system. And I hope if anything good comes out of this tragedy, it will be that we finally fix, on a bipartisan basis, this broken background check system.”

“There are 25 co-sponsors of the Fix NICS Act. It is a balanced and bipartisan piece of legislation that has one objective and one objective only – to make sure that federal and state agencies are complying with the current law and uploading complete and accurate records to the NICS system.”

“The Fix NICS Act is supported by a number of groups across the political spectrum, from Second Amendment groups like the NRA and National Shooting Sports Foundation, law enforcement groups like the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Sheriffs Association, and domestic violence groups like the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.”

“This is something that will save lives.”

Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Judiciary Committees.